During the special called board of education meeting Wednesday, Danville Independent School Board members voted to make masks optional districtwide instead of mandating them. This applies to buildings, events and all district transportation effective immediately.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Elmer Thomas presented the recommendation to the board that the district move to make masks optional.

“That means that people can make the choice if they want to send their students with a mask or if students want to wear a mask, then they have that option in all of our buildings, at all of our events, basically districtwide, including all district transportation,” he said.

He noted that there is no longer a federal regulation regarding a mask mandate on buses.

Vice Chair Glenn Ball made a motion to approve the recommendation, and Board Member Esther Rugerio seconded with the following comment that she believes it is time to make masks optional even though she understands some students, including her daughter, might be concerned about the decision because some of their friends are not vaccinated.

“I would just like to say that I hear you on some of these other students, and I completely understand,” she said.

Board Chair Steve Becker said if the district sees a surge in cases of COVID-19 or there is another reason to return back to a district mask mandate, that option is available.